10 Events That Made Us Lose Faith In Humanity

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at moments from history that made us lose confidence in humankind. Be warned, we’ll be discussing extremely traumatic events.

9/11

The September 11th attacks in 2001 were one of the largest tragedies in American history, with effects that can still be felt today. Orchestrated by Osama bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda, it was a response to America’s foreign policy in the Middle East, but it backfired after the U.S. supplied Afghan guerrilla fighters with Western finances. The CIA later called this “blowback,” but it’s actually a perpetuation of the cycle of violence. The attacks on the world trade center were horrendous, and so was the war Bush began in retaliation. No matter what angle you look at it, the attack and its surrounding events are all extremely sad.

My Lai[a] Massacre

In 1968, American soldiers deployed in Vietnam murdered up to 504 civilians in the village of Son My, during the Vietnam war. They assumed the village was a Viet Cong base of operations, so decided to run in guns blazing. It became almost immediately clear there were no guerrilla fighters present. Regardless of this, the US soldiers went on a killing spree, massacring hundreds, from the infants to the elderly. Entire families were killed, across all generations. They mutilated and indecently assaulted countless individuals, some of them not even teenagers yet. It was one of the most abhorrent war crimes in human history. The military tried to cover up the massacre, but their efforts failed.

The Massacre at Wounded Knee

Europe’s colonization of the Americas resulted in an entire continent’s worth of unique cultures being almost completely wiped out. The massacre at Wounded Knee encapsulates the devastating consequences of this centuries-long cultural erasure. On December 29th, 1890, U.S. cavalry troops slaughtered roughly 300 Lakota men, women, and children at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota. The motivation for the massacre is complicated, but much of it stems from fears surrounding the Lakotas’ Ghost Dance. This dance symbolized hope that their old way of living would return. However, it was interpreted as meaning they would attack the colonizers, leading to the indiscriminate killing of the Lakota people. To add insult to injury, 19 Medals of Honor were awarded to soldiers for service at Wounded Knee.

The Nanjing[b] Massacre

Imperialist Japan, like other imperialist nations, harshly imposed its ideals upon foreign nations. Their actions at Nanjing were a chilling example of humanity’s darkest capabilities. In December 1937, Japanese forces captured the city of Nanjing, China. During the six weeks that followed, they killed up to 300,000 people. Soldiers systematically executed prisoners of war, civilians, and even children. Their methods were beyond cruel. Between 20,000 and 80,000 women were indecently abused by soldiers, with stories of Japanese war crimes being some of the most horrific tales in history. Japan still struggles to admit to their misdeeds, with numerous officials downplaying the massacre, believing it’s Chinese propaganda. Even Japanese Wikipedia downplays the atrocity.

The Cambodian Genocide

Between 1975 and 79, between 1.5 to 2 million Cambodians were slaughtered by the Khmer Rouge[c]. The party was led by Pol Pot, the Maoist leader of Communism in Cambodia. Unlike most genocides where one group targets another, this atrocity saw the Cambodian government turn on its citizens. Targets included intellectuals, teachers, professionals, and anyone they deemed an enemy. Millions were placed in forced labor camps, or even worse, the infamous “killing fields.” At these sites, more than 1.3 million were killed. It ended in 1979, when Vietnam invaded Cambodia, but this didn’t stop America and China from backing the Khmer Rouge, letting them keep their UN seat in the 80s.

The Rwandan Genocide

In 1994, over 100 days, up to 800,000 Tutsi[d] people were systematically killed in Rwanda. Hutu extremists were responsible, and its death toll makes it one of the fastest and most intense genocides ever. Families were torn apart, with whole communities being destroyed. It wasn’t just the militias responsible, with ordinary civilians joining in too, turning on their neighbors and family. It didn’t stop at killing, as up to half a million women were defiled. Unfortunately, foreign powers failed to intervene, a haunting reminder of human indifference. It was a heartbreaking event, and the entire world turning a blind eye shatters faith in humanity.

Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki

The notion that dropping the bombs on Japan was a “necessary evil” is a widely believed misconception. Japan was on the verge of surrender, with the Soviet Union and the US Naval blockade leaving them in a dire position. Truman dropped the bomb mainly because he wanted an unconditional surrender, so he could depose the Emperor. Well, General MacArthur refused to depose him regardless. Many believe they were dropped to intimidate the Soviets. They targeted civilians, with one exploding directly above a hospital. It began a nuclear arms race, where we’re now constantly under the threat of self-annihilation. These bombings are a testament to the dangers of extreme nationalism, where the pursuit of power is placed above the sanctity of human life.

The Armenian Genocide

The Ottoman Empire systematically killed an estimated 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1917. Their empire was weak after suffering serious military defeats. Leaders became anxious that the Armenians would take advantage of their weakness and claim independence. This motivated the government to sponsor an ethnic cleansing. The international community made little effort to intervene, prioritizing wartime interests over human life. To this day, Turkey denies that it was a genocide. In actuality, the term genocide has its roots in the Armenian extermination and the Holocaust. Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin[e] coined the term, established the Genocide Convention, which criminalized such callous destruction of human life.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade

The mass exploitation of an entire continent left scars that humanity is still struggling with. It was one of the most brutal, dehumanizing, and darkest chapters of history and involved the forced transportation of over 12 million Africans, with millions dying during the voyage. They were reduced to complete poverty, dehumanized, and sold like cattle. It’s impossible to overstate its brutality. Slavery fostered a false belief in racial superiority, deeply embedding racism in the West. This heinous system was the backbone of European empires. There aren’t enough words to describe its barbarity. Unfortunately, slavery isn’t a thing of the past; some estimate that more people are involved in forced labor for no pay today than ever before.

The Holocaust

Words cannot capture the immense cruelty of the Holocaust. Ideology, hatred, and indifference led to the deaths of millions. It wasn’t a breakdown of law and order; it was a cold, calculated extermination, motivated by extreme nationalism and antisemitism. People endured unimaginable suffering, such as forced labor, starvation, medical experimentation, and brutal executions. The most terrifying aspect is the Nazi regime’s level of organization and efficiency. Its scars are still felt today, inflicting intergenerational trauma on millions. As dark as it was, we must never forget it. In the words of George Santayana[f], “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” We must all vigilantly oppose bigotry, prejudice, and totalitarianism, or else it may happen again.


Let’s take a break from exploring our darkest actions: what historical event gives you the most faith in humanity? Please brighten our day, and let us know in the comments below!

[a]mee lye https://forvo.com/search/My%20Lai/en/

sun MEE https://translate.google.ca/?sl=vi&tl=en&text=S%C6%A1n%20M%E1%BB%B9&op=translate
[b]nawn-JING https://www.dictionary.com/browse/nanjing
[c]k'MARE ROOZSH https://www.dictionary.com/browse/khmer-rouge
paul pot https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Pol%20Pot
[d]TOOT-see https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Tutsi
HOO-too https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Hutu
[e]raw-fye-ell LEM-kin https://youtu.be/Ww9ZSVMKC-M?si=7dY75z2QS-s0XE1N&t=17
[f]george santy-YAWNNA https://forvo.com/search/George%20Santayana/